BERLIN - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with German President Joachim Gauck here Sunday and pledged to beef up dialogue and exchanges between the two countries.

China and Germany have seen their relations moving forward at high levels, and now they enjoy a rare opportunity to further rev up bilateral cooperation, Li said.

He noted that he had held very good talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel on deepening the bilateral strategic partnership and expanding bilateral cooperation in various fields, and that the two sides had outlined cooperation priorities in a joint statement.

China, said the premier, is ready to further boost dialogue and exchanges with Germany on the basis of mutual respect and equality, promote mutual understanding and trust, and cope with challenges hand in hand.

Since more than 30 years ago, China has been forging ahead unremittingly along the path of reform and opening-up, Li said, citing China's great accomplishments in economic and social development and constant progress in promoting democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

However, as a large developing country of 1.3 billion people, China still has a long way to go before it realizes modernization, added the premier.

China, he said, will stick to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and meanwhile learn from the civilization achievements and development experiences of the whole humankind, so as to pursue comprehensive development in line with China's actual conditions.

Gauck, for his part, noted that both Germany and China boast a long history and a splendid culture, and that the bilateral relations have been developing smoothly over recent years.

Germany, he added, admires China's achievements in social and economic development, and stands ready to step up cooperation and dialogue with China in political, economic, people-to-people and other areas.

Li is currently on an official visit to Germany, the last leg of his first trip abroad as premier, which has taken him to India, Pakistan and Switzerland.

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